Monday, 26 December 2016

I have read many of Tim Reed’s short
stories in the past and when asked to read this first book in a new series, was
more than pleased to take up the offer. Let me first say that Reed’s style of writing flows beautifully,
with more than a hint of the poetic and this work keeps true to that style.

The story itself is from the point of View of Teepo, an
orphan who has magical ability and known to his people as a ‘Gromancer’, or at least, a potential Gromancer. Taken in and trained
by an older Gromancer, the people of their village become anxious as there is
only meant to be one in each generation. When an ill omen is noticed by the
elders, both are exiled from their home and sent out into the Eight Islands. This
exile happens just as Teepo’s
shadow becomes cursed by his master’s
magical flute, a dark side of him that nobody can trust, including Teepo.

The descriptions of The Eight Islands is where Reed comes
into his own as a literary magician. He has created an intricate and genuine
world of monsters and personalities within a blanket of a fantastical realm. Each
Gromancer has the ability to Summon, or call and bind certain creatures to them
to do their will. They somehow need a certain number in order to make a wish
come true, and each Gromancer has a different desire. Teepo must abide with his
master’s wish and battles a darkness
within himself and grows into his magical ability on the journey.

The story isn’t the
usual arc the reader might expect, but rather a series of small arcs within
each chapter when a new Summons is captured (or not captured), each taking us a
step further into the unknown to the destination Teepo is convinced will be a
place called ‘Calamity’ while struggling forward as the evil
Darkness hunts them down. It is a very long novel and to be honest, I am not
certain it needs to be so long, but if the reader is one to enjoy the journey, it
is an enjoyable one.

Sunday, 31 July 2016

Author Janet Wertman gives readers an
inside look at Henry VIII's court from the perspective of young and
innocent Jane Seymour as she falls in love with the handsome and
flirtatious King Henry while he is still married to the queen who
will soon be dubbed a witch, Anne Boleyn. Wertman brings what I have
always thought of as the 'dull and simple' queen to beautiful light,
breathing personality, honour and duty to Jane's background and time
in court.

Wertman is an ace with her descriptions
of the deceit and court politics, taking us away from Jane's point of
view when necessary, into Cromwell's where we get a firm grasp of
behind-the-scenes plotting. I much preferred Jane's point of view
where there are scenes where I had actual gooseflesh when reading,
especially during the downfall of Boleyn and near Jane's own end.
Jane's courtship with Henry was highly engaging and brought forth a
gentler Henry without disregarding his dangerous side and Jane sees
it all but humbly accepts what she is duty bound to be: the bearer of
Henry's only legitimate male heir. I was kept intrigued, despite
being already very familiar with the events, and found the narrative
difficult to fault. There are a few modern phrases that make an
appearance, but Wertman blended them into the text in such a way that
they are not only forgiveable, but help the modern reader grasp the
era feel without being limited to the archaic (but beautiful) and
difficult language of the Tudor court (for anyone wanting to grasp a
sample, please look up some of Anne Boleyn's letters to Henry, both
during her courtship and her 'supposed' last letter to Henry during
her time in the Tower).

This book is ideal for newcomers to the
subject as Wertman takes the reader gently by the hand and helps them
navigate through the intrigue, court politics, and Tudor mindset with
ease, but as a lover of all things Tudor, I found myself still
intrigued with this new Jane, who I feel Wertman brought to life in a
way that makes me understand her as a woman and a queen of the era. A
well researched and well presented read. If you have a love of
history, read this book. If you enjoy the Tudor era, read this book.
If you thought only Anne Boleyn was worth reading about, you'll know
better after... well, you know. Just be warned – there are more
books to follow, this is only the first of Wertman's literary gems.

Friday, 15 April 2016

It's been only a few days since we
landed back in LAX after two and a half weeks back in the UK. It was
surreal going back 'home' in the town where I'd spent the last
thirteen years and where my daughter spent the first years of her
life. We met up with friends and family and reacquainted ourselves
with the north-easterly winds that'd kept our cheeks pink for so
long. It rained, we played indoor mini-golf, it rained some more, we
donned our raincoats with thick fleeces, the sun came out for a bit,
and then it rained some more. But we didn't mind, we were too busy
having fun and doing castle and countryside adventures.

Now that we are back in California, it
still feels like we're on holiday – after all, this is where we
used to vacation, not live. Going through all 328 photos on my
finepix and a fair few to sort out on my phone, it's clear that we
made the most of every minute home (though I didn't get my steak and
kidney pie I miss so much, apparently, the public prefers steak and
ale, and my old haunts have altered their menus). We played in
Manningtree at Robin's Nest, Marks Tey (Dermot O'Leary's old
childhood house it up for sale), The Cottage Inn in Lynton, Dunster
Castle, Framlingham, and did a bit of exploration and cheese eating
at Cheddar Gorge.

For me, it was wonderful to get new
photos of Framlingham Castle as not only is it my setting for book
two in the Elspet Stafford Mysteries, but all my original photos were
lost in the move (along with some great ones of Hever Castle and
Hedingham jousting). I also gathered some extra references for future
EHFA blogs, though one or two might jump out of the Tudor era. For
now though, it's still all about unpacking and getting used to the 8
hour time difference. And trying to remember that I'm no longer on
holiday!

E S Moxon brings the dark ages to life
through her vivid descriptions of both people and place. As Rome has
pulled out of Britain, there is a massive power vacuum and the
remaining tribes are left to battle it out for power, life and land.
Wulfsuna follows Lord Wulfgar and his attempts to establish a home
for his tribe, a split family of Saxons who must fight Angles and
Picts to establish their home. Moxon weaves an epic tale of Lord
Wulfgar's struggles, loves and loss.

When I was sent a copy of the book to
read and review, I first read a few pages to get a feel for the
writing before dedicating myself to the full read and I knew
immediately that it was going to be a thrilling book. The
descriptions are highly vivid and take the reader into the heat of
battle and whilst reading I kept thinking 'HBO drama, HBO drama'
mainly because it was so vivid and I expect it would make an
excellent TV series (as long as the director sticks to the historical
detail that Moxon has detailed so accurately well). I'm personally
not that into battle scenes and the book had many of them, but I did
feel that they were integral to the story and illustrated exactly how
much turmoil there was during the era without a clear leader or land
borders. What I loved reading most was the bewitching seer who is
cast out of her village and who fate weaves into Lord Wulfgar's arms.
Her point-of-view and story held my interest and I would have loved
to have the entire book seen from her eyes, she was such a
enthralling character.

If you love epic battles, Dark Age
Britain, Saxons and beer wagons (has to be said, I'll dream forever
of a beer wagon), then this book is for you! It is the first in a
series, giving fans something to look forward to when the next book
is released. A beautiful historical fiction for an era often ignored
by conventional histories.

About Me

I am an archaeologist and freelance writer. Previously a staff writer for the children's literary website knowonder.com and an editor for the Wyvern Publications team, I spend most of my time reading, researching and writing historical fiction - although, I do enjoy as much time as I can with my family and enjoying the Southern California coastline when I'm home. I also write an historical fiction murder mystery series under the pen name of Lizzy Drake.